1-Man Army Todd Palin Saves First Mission on Stars Earn Stripes

Ron DevitoWednesday, August 15, 2012 06:57 EST

Todd Palin started his mission with a splash, dropping into the water from a helicopter. As one man – Dolvett Quince – nearly drowned – unable to swim weighed down with over 70 lbs of gear – and was rescued, Palin immediately focused on saving the mission and treated viewers to nearly 12 minutes of valor, leadership, courage under fire, adapting, improvising and overcoming.

Once ashore, Palin took out the guard shack with an FN Herstal MK 13 EGLM 40 mm Grenade Launcher affixed to his FN Herstal SCAR MK 16 LB. Then with the SCAR 16, he took out six targets, most on the first shot. He slid under low barbed wire as easily as he crawls on his living room floor with Trig – as shots crisscrossed over his head and explosions went off all around him. He ran through the mud with the ease of a jogger running through New York’s Central Park on dry pavement – his years of commercial fishing in the watery crucible of Brisol Bay served him well.

The awaiting mission team sat transfixed in awe. “He’s an animal,” “Straight up Rambo,” “Next war I’m in, I want Todd Palin by my side,” they said. He then switched from Rambo to Hercules – Palin easily lifted the heavy ammo crate and carried it to the shack. He breached the door, while a teammate hurled the crate in. Palin got his team back to the helicopter and swash-buckled to safety as the shack was obliterated behind them.

FN SCAR

The manufacturer, FN Herstal USA is a subsidiary of the Belgian Fabrique National, which is well known for the world’s original “black rifle” – the FAL (Fusil Automatique Legere – Light Automatic Rifle), which was the “Right Arm of the Free World.” The FAL was the standard rifle of armies in 90 nations. Original FN-FALs are illegal for import, but DS ARMS manufactures civilian legal and select fire models right here in the USA. The SCAR likely traces at least some of its lineage back to the FAL.

The FN SCAR is a gas short-stroke piston operated select fire rifle with a stock that both folds and collapses. It has a built-in M-1913 Picatinny rail top and rails on the forearm. The reciprocating charging handle, magazine release, and safety are all ambidextrous. SCARS numbered 16 fire the 5.56 x 45 mm NATO and .223 rounds and accept standard M-16/M-4/AR-15 magazines. Models bearing the number 17 fire the 7.62 x 51 and .308 rounds. Both SCAR models come in civilian legal semi-auto only versions and cost over $2,200.

Palin’s SCAR was fitted with Leupold HAMR Scope, which is a 4 x 24 fixed scope with a built-in reflex site for close quarters combat engagements.

MK 13 EGLM 40 MM Grenade Launcher

The MK 13 can be used as a stand-alone 40-mm grenade launcher or mounted on the bottom forearm rail of a SCAR. Todd Palin’s was mounted.

M-249 SAW

Another FN Herstal product, the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) is a belt-fed 5.56 x 45 light machine gun. Todd Palin trained on this weapon but did not use it in his Amphibious Assault mission. The SAW was issued to Dolvett Quince, and taken out of action when Quince nearly drowned on splash-down.